morgan



(No` Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet ,1.

F. E. MORGAN. ELECTRIC INDICATOR.

No. 414,868. Y Patented Nov. l2, 1889.

III y Y l""llmlil llllllllu N. PETERS, Hwiqiilhugrapher, Wnshngtnn. D4 C.

UNITED STATES vPATENT OFFICE,

FRANK MORGAN, OF NEV HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE NEW HAVEN CLOCK COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC INDlcAToR.

SPECIFICATION-forming part of Letters Patent No. 414,868, dated November 12, 1889.

Application tiled April 5, 1889. Serial No. 306,107. (No model.)

T all whom tm/ay col'tcern.' K

Be it known that I, FRANK EDWARD MoR- GAN, residing at- New Haven, in the county of New I-Iavcn and State of Connecticut, have'- invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Indicators; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in variable signal-transmitters for that class of indicating or annunciating apparatus in which a series of such transmitters located at sub-stations are combined with a receiverloin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view in front elevation of one form which a transmitter embodying my invention may assume. Fig. 2 is a View thereof with the ring and hasp removed. Fig. 3 is a sectional View of the device on the line ct b of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the device on the line c CZ of Fig. 2'. Fig. 5 is aview in front elevation of such a receiver as transmitters made in -accordance with my invention may be combined with; and Fig. 6 is a view in the nature of a diagram, and showing the contact-buttons, the contact-ring, and the circuit-closer of the said receiver, the hasp-connections of a transmitter, the main-line wire between the transmitter and the receiver, and the battery in such line.

As herein shown, the transmitter is provided with a pointerA, forming the indicator of the device, a metallic disk B, having a small rubber block C set into its periphery` and `forming the circuit-controller of the instrument, a magnet D, which restores the pointer toits position of rest and operates the circuit-controller to break the circuit, and a oircuit-interrupter constituting my present invention and here taking the form of a hasp E. The said pointer A is arranged to be swept over a dial F, having a circular series of signals or wants printed upon it, andis rigidly secured to an arbor G, mounted in frame-plates H H and projecting centrally through the dial and through a glass I, covering the same, the projecting end of the arbor being provided with a knurled thumbnut J for rotating the arbor to set the pointer, which is located between the dial and 'glass The circuit-controller is also mounted upon the said arbor in position 'to break the circuit wl1 en the pointer is in its zero position or when it points to a star on the dial. The said magnet D operates to restore the pointer to its position of rest and to actuate the circuit-controller to break the circuit through a star-wheel K, rigidly secured to the arbor having the same number ot' teeth that the dial has signals or wants and actuated by an anchor shaped pallet L, carrying an armature M, arranged to be attracted and released by the magnet, one end of the coil whereof is connected with a conductor N, branched to lead to twol contact-fingers O O, secured to a rubber block P, and so insulated from the instrument and engaging with the periphery of the circuit-controller disk B, before mentioned. The other end of the magnet-coil is connected by a conductor Q with a main-line wire R,

which includes all of the transmitters in the series, a battery S, and a receiver, one form of which is shown by Fig. 5 of the drawings.

From the said fingers the current iiows IOO it guards. The opposite end of the hasp is provided with an operating-button Y, by which it is opened and closed, and with a contact-finger Z, forming a part of a wire A', employed for stiffening the hasp throughout its length. When the hasp is closed, the said finger engages with a contact-spring B', insulated from the instrument in a recessed rubber block C', secured to the ring and connected with a binding-post D', also mounted in the said recessed .block and receiving a special wire E', leading from the transmitter to the receiver.

It will be seen that under the construction described the circuit through the main line and including the battery, the receiver, and the transmitter, is closed through to the disk B and the fingers O O, when the hasp is closed, and loops the transmitter-frame, and hence the disk B, into the circuit. It will be equally clear that when the hasp is open and the connection between its finger and the spring B' is broken the transmitter will be cut out of circuit-connection wit-h the battery and receiver, and that the circuit-controller, and hence the pointer, maybe freely moved without closing a circuit through the receiver; but as soon as the hasp is closed again the transmitter will be cut into the circuit. The hasp, therefore, forms a circuit-interrupter, whereby the transmitter may be cut ont of the main circuit and into the same at pleasure, so that the required time for setting` the transmitter may be taken without any reference to the receiver. The hasp has also the important function of preventing access to the thumb-nut when the instrument is in the circuit, and thus avoiding the confusion which might result on account of a guest changing his mind after once setting the pointer, which lle cannot reach without opening the hasp and cutting the instrument out of circuit. The hasp also prevents the thumb-nut from being accidentally moved when the device is not in use.

The receiver, as shown by Fi 5 of the d rawings, is provided with a case F', a dial G', a pointer ll', forming a transmitter-indicator, a pointer I', forming a signal-indicator, and a resetting-manual J', the pointer Il' being attached to a spindle K' and the pointer l' being secured to a sleeve L', mounted upon t-he said spindle, which is rotated bya train, (not shown,) while the said sleeve is rotated by an independent train (not shown) automatically released by the closing of a circuit through the receiver and one of the translnitters. The said dial G' is provided with a circular series of numbers, specified by the pointer l-I', and each indicating a transmitter, and with a similar series of signals located within the number-series, specified by the short pointer I', and corresponding to the signals or wants on the transmitter-dials, except in lbeing reversely arranged.

The necessity of providing for time for setting the transmitters may be shown in connection with Fig. G of the drawings, which shows a part of the mechanism located within the case F'. The contact-buttons M', arranged in a circular series, respectively, constitute the special wire, and therefore the receiver-terminals of the several transmitters. A circuit-closer N' and a brush O', both mounted on an insulated rotatable arm I", acting in unison with the pointer Il', sweep over the said terminals and a ring Q', which is located in the main circuit. The closing of a circuit in one of the transmit-ters at once closes the main circuit through to the particular button forming the receiver-terminal of the transmitter calling and starts the circuit-closer in search of that button. As soon as the button is found the connections of the main circuit are completed and the circuitcloser is stopped and locked with the pointer H' (connected with it,) standing over the number on the dial G' representingthe transmitter calling. Now, as soon as the circuitcloser stops, the receiver operates to reproduce the signal over which the indicator of the transmitter stood when the main circuit was closed through the said button and circuit-closer; but the closing of this circuit may take place almost at once after the circuit has been closed in the transmitter, and even before time has been given to sweep the transmitter-indicatorover the dial to the signal thereon, which it is desired to reproduce in the receiver. Suppose, for instance, that the receiver has been reset to leave the circuit-closer in the'position in which it is shown in the drawings, and that the next transmitter operated is connected with the contact-button as, which is the next button to be engaged by the circuitcloser in its rotation in the direction of the arrow. In such case the circuit-closer would be started and stopped and the receiver started to reproduce a signal before the indicator in the transmitter could be moved farther than one or two points from its zero position and before the guest could place it rightly. It becomes necessary, then, to provide time in which to set the transmitter, and I have provided for this time by a circuit-i11- terrupter, forming a part of and attached to the transmitter and cutting the same in and out of the main circuit as it is operated.

I do not confine myself to the particular form of eircuit-interrupter shown and described, or to using my invention with the form of receiver illustrated. I would therefore have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction shown and described, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described myinve11tion,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A variable signaltransmitter having a dial, an indicator, a magnet, a circuit-controller, and a circuit-interrupter hinged to the IOO IIO

instrument, so as to be swung over and away from the dial and cutting the said circuitcontroller. into and out of an electric circuit, substantially as set forth.

2. A variable signal-transmitter having a dial, an indicator, a magnet, a circuit-controller, an insulated contact-finger located at one side of the said dial, and a circuit-interrupter hinged on the other side of the dial from the said finger, with which it is engaged and disengaged to out the circuit-controller into and out of an electric circuit, the said circuit-interrupter swinging over and away from the dial, substantially as set forth.

3. A variable signal-transmitter having an indicator, a magnet, a circuit-controller, 'and a hinged circuit-interrupter, forming a part of the instrument, cutting the same into and out of an electric circuit, and constituting a guard for the indicator, substantially as set forth. Y

4;. A variable signal-transmitter having an indicator," an arbor on which the same is mounted, an exposed thumb-nut secured to the arbor for use in operating the indicator, a magnet, a circuit-controller, a hasp hinged to the instrument and adapted to t over the nut and form a guard for it, and a contactfinger insulated from the instrument and engaged by the nger for cutting the instrument into and out of an electric circuit, substantially as set forth. y

5. The combination, with a signal-transmitter having a signal-indicator, a circuitcontroller, a magnet for operating the said indicator and controller, and a circuit-interrupter for cutting the .transmitter into and out of au electric circuit, of a receiver having a transmitter-indicator to specify the transmitter and a signal-indicator to reproduce the signals thereof, the said circuitrinterrupter being hinged to the transmitter and forming a-guard for the indicator thereof, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. FRANK E. MORGAN..

Vitnesses CHA's. B. SHUMWAY,

WM. J. DE lVLfiURIM-rl 

